The Story of Olaf the Peacock
(FROM LAXDÆLA SAGA)
Slavery was commonly practised in the days of which we are writing,
and slaves taken in war were often carried from the British Isles to
Iceland or Norway. There are many accounts of slaves with Irish or
Scottish names in the Icelandic “Book of the Settlements”; they appear
often to have given great trouble to their foreign masters. But it is
less common to find a lady of high rank, an Irish princess, carried
off from her people and sold as a slave in open market. The lady was
named Melkorka, and her story is found in Laxdæla Saga, from which Saga
we have already taken our account of the life and death of Unn the
Deep-minded.[28] Parts of this Saga are closely connected with Irish
affairs.
There was in the tenth century in Iceland a young man whose name was
Hoskuld. He was of good position and held in much esteem both in Norway
and at his own home in Iceland. He was appointed one of the bodyguard
of King Hakon, and he stayed each year, turn and turn about, at Hakon’s
Court, in Norway and at his own home in Iceland, which he called
Hoskuldstead. He was married to a handsome, proud, and extremely
clever woman, named Jorunn, who, the saga says, “was wise and well up
in things, and of manifold knowledge, though rather high-tempered at
most times.” Hoskuld and she loved each other well, though in their
daily ways they made no show of their love. Hoskuld, with his wife’s
money joined to his own, became a great chieftain, for Jorunn was
daughter of the wealthiest land-owner in all that part of the country,
and his house and family stood in great honour and renown.
Now there came a time when the King, attended by his followers, went
eastward at the beginning of summer, to a meeting at which matters
of international policy were discussed and settled between Norway,
Sweden, and Denmark. From all lands men came to attend the meeting,
and Hoskuld, who at that time was staying with his kinsfolk in Norway,
went along with the rest. There was a great fair going on in the town,
with eating and drinking and games and every sort of entertainment,
and crowds passed to and fro along the streets. Hoskuld met many of
his kinsfolk who were come from Denmark, and one day, as they went
out to disport themselves, he marked a stately tent far away from
the other booths, with a man in costly raiment and wearing a Russian
hat on his head presiding at the door of the tent. Hoskuld asked his
name. He said his name was Gilli;[29] “but most men call me Gilli the
Russian,” he added, “and maybe you know me by that name.” Hoskuld said
he knew him well, for he was esteemed the richest man of all the guild
of merchants. “Perhaps,” he said, “you have things to sell which we
might wish to buy.” Gilli asked what sort of things he might be looking
for, and Hoskuld said he was needing a bondswoman, if he had one to
sell. “There,” said the man, “I see that you mean to give me trouble by
asking for things you don’t expect me to have in stock; but after all
perhaps I can satisfy you.”
Then Hoskuld noticed that right across the back of the booth there was
a curtain drawn; when the man drew the curtain, Hoskuld saw that there
were twelve women seated behind it in a line across the booth. Gilli
said that Hoskuld might examine the women if he chose. Then Hoskuld
looked carefully at them, and he saw one woman seated on the outskirts
of the tent, a little apart from the rest, very poor and ill-clad, but,
so far as he could judge, fair to look upon. Then he asked: “What is
the price of this woman if I should wish to buy her?” “Three silver
pieces must be weighed out to me for that woman,” Gilli replied. “It
seems to me,” said Hoskuld, “that you charge highly for this woman,
for that is the price of three.” “Choose any of the other women,” said
Gilli, “and you shall have them at the price of one silver mark; but
this bondswoman I value more highly than the other eleven.” “I must
see,” said Hoskuld, “how much silver I have in the purse in my belt;
take you the scales while I search my purse and see what I have to
spend.”
Then Gilli said: “As you seem to wish to have this woman, Hoskuld, I
will deal frankly with you in the matter. There is a great drawback to
her which I wish to let you know about before the bargain is struck
between us.” Hoskuld was surprised, and he asked what it was. “The
woman,” said Gilli, “is dumb. I have tried in every way to persuade
her to talk, but not a word have I ever got out of her, and sure I am
that she knows not how to speak.” “Bring out the scales, nevertheless,”
said Hoskuld, “and weigh my purse, that we may see how much silver
is in it.” Then the silver was poured out, and it came to just three
marks. “Now,” said Hoskuld, “our bargain is concluded, for the marks
are yours, and I will have the woman. I take it that you have behaved
honestly in this affair, and have had no wish to deceive me therein.”
When he brought her home, Hoskuld said to her: “The clothes Gilli the
Rich gave you do not appear to be very grand, though it is true that
it was more of a business for him to dress twelve women than for me to
dress one.” With that he opened a chest and took out some fine women’s
clothes and gave them to her; and when she was dressed every one was
surprised to see how fair and noble she looked in her handsome array.
She was still quite young, for she had been taken prisoner of war and
carried away to Europe when she was only fifteen winters old, and it
was remarked by all that she was of high birth and breeding, and that,
in spite of her want of speech, she was no fool.
When Hoskuld brought his slave home to Iceland, Jorunn, his wife, asked
the name of the girl whom he had brought with him. “You will think I
am mocking you,” said Hoskuld, “when I tell you that I do not know
her name.” “In that you must be deceiving me,” said Jorunn; “for it
is impossible that you have been all this time with this girl without
inquiring even her name.” So Hoskuld told her the truth, that the girl
was deaf and dumb, and he prayed that she might be kindly treated, more
especially on that account. Jorunn said she had no mind to ill-use
her, least of all if she was dumb. But nevertheless she treated the
poor girl with disdain, and made a waiting-maid of her, and one day
it is told that while Melkorka (for that was the woman’s name) was
aiding her mistress to undress, Jorunn seized the stockings that were
lying on the floor and smote her about the head. Melkorka got angry
at this, and Hoskuld had to come in and part them. He soon saw that
the mistress and maid could not live happily together, therefore he
prepared to send Melkorka away to a dwelling he had bought for her up
in Salmon-river-dale, on the waste land south of the Salmon River.
And all the time the desolate girl, either from pride and despair or
because she could speak no language but her native tongue, kept up the
illusion that she was deaf and dumb. Neither kind nor unkind treatment
could force her to open her lips.
There came a time when Melkorka had a son, a very beautiful boy, who at
two years old could run about and talk like boys of four. And Hoskuld
often visited the two, for he was proud of the boy, and he named him
Olaf. Early one morning, as Hoskuld had gone out to look about his
manor, the weather being fine, and the sun but little risen in the
sky and shining brightly, it happened that he heard some voices of
people talking: so he went down to where a little brook ran past the
home-field slope, and he saw two people there whom he recognized as the
boy Olaf and his mother; then he discovered for the first time that she
was not speechless, for she was talking a great deal to her son.
It was in Irish that she was talking. Then Hoskuld went to her and
asked her name, and said it was useless to try and hide it any longer.
They sat down together on the edge of the field, and she told him of
her birth and history, that her name was Melkorka, and that she was
daughter of a king in Ireland. Hoskuld said that she had kept silence
far too long about such an illustrious descent. From that time forward
Jorunn grew more bitter against the girl, but Hoskuld sheltered
her, and brought her everything she needed. And Olaf grew up into a
noble youth, superior to other men, both on account of his beauty
and courtesy. Among the things his mother taught him was a perfect
knowledge of her native tongue, which was destined to stand him in good
stead in later days.
At the age of seven years Olaf was taken in fosterage by a wealthy
childless man, named Thord, who bound himself to leave Olaf all his
money. At twelve years the lad already began to ride to the annual
Thing meeting, though men from other countrysides considered it a great
errand to go; and they wondered at the splendid way he was made. So
handsome and distinguished was he even then, and so particular about
his war-gear and raiment, that Hoskuld playfully nicknamed him “the
Peacock,” and this name stuck to him, so that he is known in Icelandic
story as Olaf Pa, or the Peacock. When Olaf was a man of eighteen
winters Melkorka told him that she had all along set her mind upon his
going to Ireland, to find out her relatives there. “Here,” said she,
“you are but the son of a slave-woman, but my father is Myrkjartan
[Murtough], king amongst the Irish, and it would be easy for you to
betake you on board the ship that is now in harbour at Bord-Eye and
sail in her to Ireland.” Melkorka even determined, partly to gain money
for her son’s journey and partly to spite Hoskuld, whom she had never
forgiven for having bought her as a slave, to marry a man who had
long wished to wed her, but for whom she had no affection. He gladly
provided all that Olaf required for his voyage in return for Melkorka’s
hand, and Olaf made him ready to go. Before he left, Melkorka gave him
a great gold finger-ring, saying, “This gift my father gave me for a
teething-gift, and I know he will recognize it when he sees it.” She
also put into his hands a knife and a belt, and bade him give them to
her old foster-nurse. “I am sure,” she said, “they will not doubt these
tokens.” And still further Melkorka spake: “I have fitted you out for
home as best I know how, and taught you to speak Irish, so that it will
make no difference to you where you come ashore in Ireland.” After that
they parted.
There arose a fair wind when Olaf got on board, and they sailed
straightway out to sea. On the way they visited Norway, and so well did
King Harald think of Olaf that he would fain have had him stay there at
his Court, but after a while he set forth the object of his journey,
and the King would not delay him, but gave him a ship well fitted out,
and bade him come again to him on his return. They met unfavourable
weather through the summer, with plentiful fogs and little wind, and
what there was contrary, and they drifted wide of their mark, until
on those on board fell sea-bewilderment, so that they sailed for days
and nights, none of them knowing whither they were steering. One night
the watchman leapt up and bade them all awake, for he said there was
land in sight, and so close that they came near to striking upon it.
The steersman was for clearing away from the land if they could; but
Olaf said: “That is no good way out of our plight, for I see reefs
astern. Let down the sail at once, until daylight comes, and then we
can discover what land it is.” Then they cast anchor, and they touched
bottom at once. During the night all on board disputed as to what land
they could have come to; but when daylight arose they recognized that
it was a desolate part of the Irish coast, far from any town; and Orn
the steersman said: “I think the place we have arrived at is not good;
it is far from any harbour or market-town where we should be received
in peace; here we are left high and dry, like sticklebacks, and
according to the Irish law it is likely they will claim our merchandise
as a lawful prize, seeing that we are near the shore; for they consider
as flotsam ships that are farther from the ebb of the tide than ours.”
But Olaf advised them to tow out their boat to a deeper pool in the
sea that he had noticed during the ebb tide, and then no harm would
happen to them. Hardly had they done so than all the people of the
neighbourhood came crowding down to the shore, for the news spread
of the drifting in of a Norwegian vessel close to the land. Two of
the Irish pushed out in a boat and demanded who they were, and bade
them, according to the law of the country, to give up their goods. But
Olaf’s knowledge of Irish stood him in good stead, for he answered
them in their own tongue that such laws held good only for those who
had no interpreter with them, and that they were not come to plunder,
but as peaceful men. The Irish, not satisfied with this, raised a
great war-cry, and waded out to try to drag the ship in-shore, the
water being no deeper for most of the way than up to their arm-pits,
or to the belts of those who were tallest. But just where the ship
was anchored the pool was so deep that they could not get a footing.
Olaf bade his crew fetch out their weapons and range themselves in
battle-line from stem to stern, their shields hung upon the bulwarks,
and overlapping all along the ship’s sides, and a spear-point thrust
out below each shield.
Then Olaf, clad in gold-inlaid helmet and coat of mail, his barbed
spear in his hand and his gold-hilted sword at his side, walked forward
to the prow; before him was his red shield, chased with a lion all in
gold. So threatening did things look that fear shot through the hearts
of the Irish, and they thought that it would not be so easy a matter
to master the booty as they had imagined. They changed their minds,
and now thought that it was but the herald of one of those warlike
incursions of which they had had such frequent and terrible experience.
They turned back, and sent with all haste to the King, who happened
to be but a short way off, feasting in the neighbourhood. This King,
who rode down speedily with a large company of followers, looking a
party of the bravest, proved to be Murtough, or Myrkjartan, Olaf’s
grandfather. He was a valiant-looking prince, and the two companies,
Icelanders and Irish, must have made a brave sight as they stood
opposite to each other, one on the ship and the other on the shore,
divided only by a narrow strip of shallow water. The shipmates of Olaf
grew hushed when they saw so large a body of fighting-men, for they
deemed that here were great odds to deal with. But Olaf put them in
heart, saying, “Our affairs are in a good way; for the shouts of the
Irish are not against us, but in greeting to Murtough, their king.”
Then they rode so near the ship that each could hear what the other
said. The King asked who was master of the ship, and whence they had
put to sea, and whose men they were. Then he asked searchingly about
Olaf’s kindred, for he found that this man was of haughty bearing,
and would not answer any further than the King asked. Olaf answered:
“Let it be known to you that we ran our ship afloat from the coast
of Norway, and that these men with me are of high birth and of the
bodyguard of King Harald, lord of Norway. As for my own race, I have,
sire, to tell you this, that my father lives in Iceland, and is named
Hoskuld, a man of good birth; but as for my mother’s kindred, I think
it likely that they are better known to you than to myself. For my
mother is Melkorka, and it has been told me of a truth that she is your
daughter, O King. And it is this that has driven me forth on this long
journey, to know the truth of the matter, and to me it is of great
import what answer you have to make to me.” At that the King grew
silent, and hesitated long, consulting with his counsellors; for though
it was clearly seen that Olaf was a high-born man, and that he spoke
the best of Irish, the King doubted whether his story could be true.
But he stood up, and offered peace and friendship to those that were in
the ship. “But as to what you tell me, Olaf, we will talk further of
that.” After this they pushed forth their gangways to the shore, and
Olaf and his company went on land; and the Irish marvelled to see such
warrior-looking men. Olaf greeted the King, taking off his helmet and
bowing before him, and the King welcomed him gladly. They fell then to
talking, and Olaf pleaded his case in a long and frank speech, and when
he had done he took from his finger the ring that his mother had given
him at parting, and held it out toward the King, saying: “This ring,
King, you gave to Melkorka as a teething-gift.” The King took the ring
and looked at it, and his face grew red, and then he said: “True enough
are the tokens, and none the less notable to me is it that you have so
many features of your mother’s family, so that by those alone you might
easily be recognized, and because of these things I will, in sooth,
Olaf, acknowledge your kinship before all these men, and ask you to my
Court with all your following; but the honour of you all will depend
on what worth as a man I find you to be when I try you further.” Then
the King commanded that riding-horses should be given to them, and they
left some of the crew to guard the ship, while they rode on together to
Dublin.
Men thought it great tidings that the King should be journeying to
Dublin with the son of his daughter, who had been carried off in war
when she was only fifteen winters old. But most startled of all at the
news was the foster-mother of Melkorka, who was bed-ridden, both from
heavy sickness and because of her great age; yet without even a staff
to support her she arose from her bed and walked to meet Olaf.
The King said to Olaf: “Here is come Melkorka’s foster-mother, and she
will wish to hear all you can tell her about your mother’s life.” Olaf
took the old woman in his arms and set her on his knee and told her all
the news; he put into her hands the knife and the belt that Melkorka
had sent, so that the aged woman recognized the gifts, and wept for
joy. “It is easy to see,” she said, “that Melkorka’s son is one of high
mettle, and no wonder, seeing what stock he comes of.” And with joy the
old dame seemed to grow strong and well, and was in good spirits all
the winter.
[Illustration: _Olaf took the Old Woman in his Arms_]
The King was seldom at rest, for at all times the land was raided
by vikings and war-bands. But Olaf joined with him in driving off the
invaders, and those who came thought that his was indeed a grim company
to deal with. The King loved him better than his own sons, and at a
solemn gathering of the wise men of his realm he publicly prayed him
to remain with him, offering him the kingdom in succession when his
own day was done, and setting him before his people as his grandson
and Melkorka’s son. Olaf thanked him in fair and graceful words, but
he refused the offer, for he said he had no real claim to the kingdom,
as the King had sons, nor did he wish to stir up strife between them.
“It is better,” he said, “to gain swift honour than lasting shame.”
He added that he desired to go back to Norway, where vessels could
pass peaceably from land to land, and that his mother would have
little delight in her life if he went not back to her. So the King
said that he must do as he thought best, and the assembly was broken
up. Olaf bade a loving farewell to the King, who came with him to the
ship and saw him on board, and gave him a spear chased in gold, and a
gold-hilted sword, and much money besides. Olaf begged that he might
take her old foster-mother to Melkorka; but the King thought her too
aged for travelling, and he did not let her go. So they parted the most
loving friends, and Olaf sailed out to sea. After a winter spent with
King Harald in Norway the King gave Olaf a ship, and he sailed with
a fair wind to Iceland, and brought his vessel into Ramfirth, where
Hoskuld and his kinsmen greeted him warmly. It spread abroad through
all the land that he was grandson of Murtough, King of Ireland, and
he became very renowned on that account and because of his journey.
Melkorka came soon to greet her son, and Olaf met her with great joy.
She asked about many things in Ireland, of her father first and then of
her other relatives; and then she asked if her foster-mother were still
alive, and Olaf told her everything. But she said it was strange that
he had not brought the old woman back with him, that she might have
seen her once more. When Olaf told her that he had wished to bring her,
but that they would not allow her to go, “That may be so,” she said;
but it was plain to be seen that she took this much to heart.
Olaf became a famous man both in Iceland and in Norway, and very
wealthy, and he made a good match with Thorgerd, daughter of Egil, and
prospered. He called his eldest son Kjartan, after Myrkjartan, his
mother’s father, the King of Ireland.